Truss.



NOQ 815,682.

PATENTB'D MAR. 20, 1906.

A. G. (300KB.

TRUSS.

APPLICATION FILED APILZB, 1904.

V emme s'rA-Tn's PATENT orrron ALFRED .cLe zEiicE YQQQKE. R KXHILL. QONNEG l-QQ .gmuss.

Specification of Ilet ersrB- il application filed 'ii gi 2,6, 1904.. semi No. 204,967.

.la esfie Marsh 29A,???-

This invention relates to certain-improvements in trusses, its object being to improve the construction of this class of articles.

Referring to the drawings, Figure 1 is a general view of-my truss, showing its application when in use. Fig. 2 is a view of the active'pad and the adjustable supportingclamp. Fig. 3 is a sectional view thereof, taken on the line 3 3 of Fig. 2.

In the embodiment of the invention illustrated in the drawings the supporting or body member of the truss is the wire rod a, bent to approximate inverted-U shape, one leg of which, a is longer than the other leg-a To the longer leg a, is secured a cushion-pad b, which is the active pad, and to the shorter leg there is secured the back-pad c, which fits against the back. The supporting member a passes up over the hip and lies in close to the body at about the waist-line. An adjustable elastic strap d connects the two legs around one hip, and a second strap e connects them around the other hip. It will be noticed that the strap e is attached to the short leg a higher up-than is (1, thus causing the member a to lie close to the body and the active pad I) to exert pressure directly against I the body. The longer leg at is naturally more resilient than the leg 0, which is desirable, inasmuch as itcarries the pad I), which confines the rupture, and is therefore free to adapt itself to the movements of the rupture. It will thus be seen that because of the'relative points of contact of thepads with the body the pad I) exerts an upward pressure in connection with the inward pressure due to the strap 6. These pads I) care adjustable around and lengthwise of the member a to meet different conditions." They are also reversible, to be used either on the right or left side. r

' Trusses constructed as above described fulfil the requirements of manycases; but there are cases which require much more sensitive treatment, and in order to provide for them I have further improved truss construction by mounting both pads on supplemental and more delicate springs, so that V the active pad willbeas sensitive aspossible to sudden or slight strains and quicklyfollew fa rupture and hold it place? }The activepa'd 'b is removably secured t6 its supp orti'ng spring. These pads-are of diflerent construction, the pre fer-able oii' bei g-aeratiotvsz'neierring w rigs. rand- 3, thfikfodyis farmed" or rubber. ewe parts 1 end a W11- eaaized together alongtheirfedges'at Before the parts are joined a plate 4 is secured to the inner face of what may be termed the 1 back'of the pad 1, this plate having centrally arranged thereon a hub or nut 5, which is centrally pierced by a screw-threaded hole 6. A spring-valve 7, secured to'the plate, closes the end of this hole, the hole being threaded to receive the screw 9, by which it is secured to the clamp. A bodyso constructed may be filled by screwing a nipple into the threaded hole through the plate and forcing water intothe pad, the escape of the water being prevented by the spring-valve 7. The nipple is then removed and the body secured in position on the clamp. In this man- .nerthe construction of the body is greatly simplified, there be ng no cloth or absorbent material which will become foul after short usage, as is the case in pads now constructed.

It also enables me to get a pad of much smaller size than is possible at the present time and permitsof manufacturing these pads ready for use, the only thing necessary to be done being to fill them with water.

It is necessary and of course advisable that the covers of the pads shall be kept very clean, and in order to allow this to the utmost extent I provide a removable cover 8,

made, preferably, from rubber in the shape of a hollow sack andhaving a small opening which may be extended to place the cover in position. These covers are readily put on and taken oif and can be thoroughly cleansed and kept in a sanitary and antiseptic condition'.-

A preferable form of clamp for attachment of the active pad I) is shown in Fig. 2. It comprises a stud 11, pierced at one end, as at 15, to receive the leg 0/ of the wire rod a and is provided with a set-screw 16, by means 'of which it is secured to the body. adjustablymounted on the stud and provided with a set-screw 12, by means .of which it is locked in position.

active pad I). This method of supporting A-leaf 10 is This leaf carries the the pad by my improved clamp permits of adjustment both in a horizontal and a veIj-.

tical plane, permitting the truss to be adapted to meet any peculiar features of any special case and assuring the best possible results under all conditions.

In the specification I have described the construction shown in the drawings; but I do not wish to limit myself to the details of this construction.

I claim as my invention 1. The herein-described improved trusspad comprising a bulb made of expansible material, a plate located within said bulb against one side thereof, a filling orifice through the wall of said bulb and said plate, the orifice in said plate being interiorly threaded, a spring-valve for said orifice and a screw engaging the threads in said orifice said screw sealing said orifice outside the spring-valve and being so formed as to be adapted to secure the pad to a truss-frame.

2. In a truss, the combination of a body member, a stud pierced at one end to receive 

